Irresistibly Inevitable
by Maybesandhopefullys
Summary: If the doctor is surprised to see Captain America in her office, she doesn't show it, she merely continues with the tests just as she has in every other appointment. Kid Fic.
1. Resist

She tries to hide it for as long as possible, it's her business and she knows they will kick up a fuss when they find out. But she cannot keep it a secret forever, eventually the looser shirts she's been wearing to work won't hide the ever growing bump. She has her reasons for not telling them. Mainly because of the inevitable insistent questions she will get for the rest of her life about who the child's father is, a question with an answer she doesn't feel the need to share with anyone and everyone, especially not a team of superheroes. All they needed to know was that her and the father made a mutual decision for him to not be involved in his child's life.

When the time for keeping it a secret passes, she tells the team as such: this did her business and the only time they'll ever see her child is when it's still inside of her, she doesn't want a group of superheroes getting overly attached to her baby. If course, looking back, she knows that their love for Tabby was inevitable and probably impossible to prevent. The minute they find out they establish what roles they will have in her child's life: Tony immediately offers financial services, the only way he seems to be able to show affection; Thor is loud in his congratulations and promises of protection from all kind of mythical beasts she has never heard of; Clint and Tasha seem overly excited about the prospect of passing down their skills at sneaking to make her child the best hide and seek player ever, she knows they struggle with their inability to have children behind their marks of solidity. Bruce timidly hands her a book on yoga at one of their team breakfast meetings, his nervous explanation that he heard yoga was supposed to help pregnant women genuinely making her smile, despite her awful morning sickness. But then there is Steve.

The two of them have been dancing around being something for months. They exchange small touches that just creep over the line of being casual; his hand always seems to find the small of her back whenever they and up next to each other, he walks her out of the tower when they have a meeting last thing, a kiss brushed on her cheek as he whispers goodbye. They've even been for coffee a few times. They are so close to being an actual, functional couple that Steve automatically slips into the role of father when he finds out she's pregnant. He starts to appear at her office at Stark Tower with food and her one allocated coffee of the day (this kid better be grateful for the caffeine she has to give up when carrying it around for 9 months) as if he somehow knows she didn't manage to keep anything down that morning. He forces her to go home at a reasonable hour, even bringing ice cream when she calls him in the ludicrous hours of the night. At first she resists, she doesn't need help, being pregnant doesn't make her an invalid. But as time goes on and she gets bigger and they become closer, she lets him look after her. It's actually a relief to have someone to rely on, someone who actually cares about how she feels; so when it comes round to her next doctor's appointment, she asks Steve to go with her.

It's actually adorable how nervous he is about it. As they sit in the waiting room he wrings his hands and bounces his leg so much that she has to put down the magazine she is reading to calm him. She gently places her hand over his leg, stilling it instantly with the contact. His large, calloused hand finds hers and he traces the tiny lines of it, lifting it up so that he can study it and learn even more about her. He is so completely focused on her hand that he misses the nurse calling Maria's name; he looks surprised when she rises from the uncomfortable plastic chair and tugs on his hand. She can tell he is anxious about this, she is too. She has always attended these things by herself, asserting her independence. If the doctor is surprised to see Captain America in her office, she doesn't show it, she merely continues with the tests just as she has in every other appointment.

Steve looks like he is going to faint when Dr Adams shows the ultrasound on the screen.

Of course he's seen the pictures before, he even asked for copy to put in his wallet last time, but watching the tiny life in real time and hearing its little heartbeat reverberating around the room nearly finishes him off. He doesn't stop gushing about the whole experience at dinner with the team that evening, the one he forces her to attend almost every night now. Of course Steve couldn't make her do anything she doesn't want to do, but when he looks at her with hope and expectation in his beautiful blue eyes, she can't say no.

She also can't say no when he asks her to move in with him.

She is hesitant to accept at first, but even she has to admit it makes sense. Her apartment is alright for her, she only eats and sleeps there, but it's not suitable for a small child. His apartment at the tower would cut her travel time down to all of 30 seconds and he does have several bedroom sitting uselessly empty. Of course one of the drawbacks to living in the Avenger's tower is the thought of Tony appearing out of thin air at any given moment, but she's pretty sure that J.A.R.V.I.S likes her enough to help her round that issue. She also scared of what this means in terms of her and Steve. He offered her his two spare rooms, meaning one for her and one for the baby that will painfully emerge from her body in a matter of months, but she is aware that is he is sleeping just the other side of the wall she might not be able to resist. She blames it on the hormones, but she can't help but imagine falling to sleep wrapped in his safe, warm arms that protect her and the innocent life she carries. She knows that she could very easily love him, _that she does love him_ ; but that doesn't mean that she should. So when she eventually says yes, it is not only a yes to moving in, but a yes to letting herself love him.

She moves in two months before the baby is due.

She moves her stuff into his room a month and three weeks before the baby is due.


	2. Tabby

The baby comes early and sends them all into a panic.

It happens at dinner on a Tuesday, a month and a half before the due date. She suddenly feels a sharp pain in her stomach, initially thinking the baby is just kicking her awkwardly she continues eating without mentioning it to anyone. When it happens again a few minutes later and then another few minutes after that she knows that something is up. When she stands up to excuse herself for the toilet Pepper screams. Then there is panic.

It is too soon.

She is bleeding and she can do nothing but stand and stare at her own swollen body, unable to see anything past the bump. All she can think is that it is too soon. It is too soon. She is unaware of the world around her, all sound disappears and her vison blurs as she gently where her body cradles the baby that is trying to arrive before its time. It is too soon. She cannot tell how long she is frozen in shock until a crippling wave of pain courses through her and suddenly Steve is there. He surrounds her, catching her before her whole body can crumple to the floor in agony. As their eyes connect she can see the intense worry and pain etched deep into them; but there is comfort there too. She feels instant safe with him; she knows he will protect her when she cannot protect herself. It is in his arms that she slips into unconsciousness when the next surge of pain encompasses her.

It is too soon.

She cannot remember most of the next few hours, all she is aware of is Steve and the baby that feels as if it's trying to claw its way out of her. Steve is right there holding her hand, wiping her forehead every time she is aware of her surroundings. She cannot speak, but she communicates her love and gratitude to him somehow; he replies with light brushes of his lips to her sweaty forehead and murmurs of devotion and support over the constant beeping and humming of medical machinery. It feels as if it is just the two of them in the world, oblivious to the team of doctors and nurses in the room, until a piercing cry shatters their world of two and makes it one of three.

Tabitha Elizabeth Hill, _Tabby_ , is born at 12:03am on May 12th, a month and a half early. She is so small that Steve can cradle her against one of his large forearms, and that the view she is greeted with when she finally wakes later on in the day. He is so wrapped up in this new little person, cooing and mewling at her, that he doesn't notice Maria's eyes slowly flutter open. She observes him silently for a minute, watching his large body cradle Tabby's small one, before clearing her throat to catch his attention. His face almost splits in two with the size of his grin, instantly slotting Tabby into her arms where she belongs. As her beautiful baby girl feeds, Maria and Steve just talk and smile about the joy they now have in their lives; even the arrival of the rest of the team cannot burst their little bubble of contentment. All of a sudden Maria's heart is full of more love than she has ever experienced, both Tabby and Steve firmly cementing their places there forever more.

When they are eventually allowed home they slip into a routine that quickly becomes familiar. Tabby seems to cry all the time, only silent when she is being fed or sleeping. Maria is exhausted, as soon as she manages to drift off she is awoken again by a screaming child; Steve insists on waking up every time she does, but it's alright for the super soldier who can survive on the few intermittent hours' sleep they get every night. Eventually Maria doesn't bother to get up when Tabby's cries pierce the stillness of the night, she knows that Steve will get up from beside her and bring the hungry baby to her, whether she argues against him or not. She is so tired she has gone past the point of caring about being independent; this is difficult and Steve is more than willing to help.

Maria takes a few weeks off from her job at Stark Industries when Tabby is very small, but she is restless. She loves looking after Tabby, she really does, but she isn't suited to being around the apartment all day and night. Steve on the other hand is the perfect doting house husband, and when she does return to work, he very willingly spends hours alone with the baby every day. One of Maria's favourite sights is coming home to find Steve draped awkwardly over the too small couch, snoring gently as Tabby's miniature body moves up and down on the broad expanse of his chest; the pair of them finding comfort in sleeping in the warmth they both radiate. There is a small part of Maria that is jealous of the bond Steve and the baby already have, they don't even share any genetics after all, but her love for them both overrides any bitterness; Tabby loves her and she loves Tabby.

If she gets envious of Steve and Tabby's special bond, she can't begin to imagine how the other Avengers feel. There always seems to be at least one of them at their apartment playing with Tabby, trying to make themselves her favourite. Steve and Maria have to start giving away some of the presents the team have given their daughter, each bigger and better than the last in attempts to win the still tiny baby's affection; when Tony tried to give the baby a gold rattle, Maria had called him out and banned them all from bringing Tabby anything else. Maria finds it hilarious that the group of superheroes all pale in comparison to Steve in Tabby's eyes. The baby will immediately ignore anyone else in the room if Steve enters it, forcing her holder to pass her over to him grudgingly to stop her cries. Only if she is in her mother's arms will she not squeal to be with Steve, but even then she is happiest when he is close. He is definitely her favourite person in her whole little world, and she in his large one. Tabby has only been in their lives for a matter of weeks, but already Steve is the best father she could imagine for Tabby. It does not matter if they share no genetics, he loves her, he loves them both, and that is all that matters.

That is enough.


	3. Speak

When Tabby is 18 months old Steve starts to go out on missions again.

He is reluctant at first, and only agrees to do it when Maria is guaranteed to be at home, safe with Tabby. It is the only way he can focus his mission, knowing that he does not have to worry. And that is how Maria finds herself sat in the Avenger's living room, watching her daughter play with Tony who seems to be enjoying the toddler toys more than the one-year-old. Natasha has gone with Steve and Sam on their mission and so Clint insists on having the live S.H.I.E.L.D feed of the mission streamed on the ridiculously large and expensive TV Tony has in every room of the tower. Maria keeps one eye on the muted television while watching her daughter drool all over the millionaire.

Tabby is just starting to almost form words. She babbles at Tony in an unrecognisable collection of sounds, the man himself nodding and humming in agreement as if he understands what she says. Occasionally he says his own name slowly and deliberately, attempting to be the first thing the Avenger's sweetheart says. Maria really hopes she does not say his name first; they would never hear the end of it. She's selfishly holding out for 'mama', she's even put money on it in the betting pool Natasha's created that she definitely doesn't condone. Steve also wants Tabby to say 'mama' first, it was his first word (despite Tony's never ending teasing that it was something patriotic like 'America' or 'freedom') and he would much rather share that with her than have Tabby say 'dada'. He would never admit it, but she expects he feels guilty that Tabby appears to be daddy's girl and so Steve wants Maria to have something that proves otherwise, she kind of feels the same way.

Clint's sharp intake of breath brings her out of her head and snap her head to the screen where Steve's face is frozen in horror. At Tony's request J.A.R.V.I.S turns the sound on just as the target of Steve's mission makes his sinister threat. The audio and visual are both a little shaky, but they can still make out what he says.

"You can't keep them safe Captain," he taunts. "Your Maria and little Tabitha can't be safe forever."

The surveillance cameras S.H.I.E.L.D have commandeered show Steve's face harden. His jaw twitches as his eyes darken, his body trembling with the rage he is barely managing to contain. Maria can tell what he really wants to do is beat this man until he can no longer breathe in the way only a super soldier can do, but she also knows that he won't do that, he can't, not until he finds out how this man knows about his family. They have been ever so careful to keep Tabby's existence out of all files and the media. She is not on Maria's S.H.I.E.L.D file and they never take her out of the tower without disguises or cars with blacked-out windows. Maria knew that it would have to come out eventually, Tabby is around a group of celebrity superheroes too often to not be photographed; Steve has always been insistent, hopeful that they can keep this secret about her up indefinitely. It seems that this villain, some unheard of mission target, has found out about their daughter and is using it as leverage against Steve.

"You have no right to say their names, you have no right to even know of their existence."

He is very close to hurting him. Maria is actually frightened, she knows what Steve is capable of, she knows his own fears about losing control in a fight. Apparently Natasha is also aware of this.

"Steve, you need to calm down before you do something you'll regret." She does not dare touch him, recognising that he could snap at any given moment. He doesn't revert his stone cold stare at the target as he replies to Natasha's request with a monotone, lifeless voice.

"I don't think I'll regret this Nat." And with this he lunges at the man. His massive hands, the same ones that hold Tabby with such care and caution, grip his neck until his face is red and spluttering. Despite this the target still smiles as he utters his last words before his body goes slack under Steve's hands.

"I'd check in on your little family if I were you."

There is silence back in the tower, no one quite knows what to do. Even Maria who is usually so straight thinking and practical in these kind of situations (it used to be her job after all) cannot think clearly enough to do anything but sit and stare at the screen. Steve's face is frozen on it, the link had cut out just after the man had died at Steve's hand, Steve's face filled with terror looking just off camera. Of course this is the moment that Tabby, tiny little innocent Tabby, looks up to see her father's face on the big screen.

What Maria's baby girl does next nearly breaks her heart.

"Dadadadada!"

Her fat little fingers reach up at the screen, trying to grab at her favourite person in the whole world. There is a big smile on her round face as she squeals happily. All eyes are suddenly on this precious child who has no way to understand what is happening. Normal children's first words are met with tears of joy and praise, parents begging and coaching their child to say it over and over again. Tabby's first words are met with tears of fear form her mother and no one goes to encourage Tabby to say it again. Tabby doesn't need any encouragement anyway, she repeats the words over and over again, getting slightly more hysterical with each repetition. Maria still cannot move from where she sits on the sofa, even as tears leak from her child's eyes. The whole team just stare at the child, no one knows what do with the child whose very existence has just been threatened by some mad man hundreds of miles away, a mad man who was just killed by her father.

It is at this moment that Pepper Potts walks into to the room. Maria has always liked Pepper Potts, she eludes that kind of professionalism that Maria for some reason finds comforting, especially around Tony Stark, but she has never been gladder to see her than right now. The woman somehow assesses the situation within seconds of entering; several superheroes (and Maria) sitting frozen, Captain America's face frozen in horror on the TV and an 18-month old child crying alone in the middle of the room. The beautifully dressed CEO sweeps down to pick up Tabby, not completely quieting her sobs but bring them to a quieter hiccup every couple of seconds, she still whimpers the occasional 'dada', breaking the hearts of all in the room. Pepper holds the child close as she asks.

"What on earth is happening?"


	4. Run

Pepper's question snaps Maria out of her dazed thoughts and into the present. The present where her child is crying in another person's arms. Tabby is still murmuring 'dada' as she sniffles in Pepper's arms, blue eyes still leaking glistening tears as she stares at her mother's expressionless face. It only takes a moment for the team to leap into action.

Clint is already on the phone to someone, Maria expects it is Natasha by the look of concentration on his face – he only really listens to Nat with that level of focus. Tony and Bruce are explaining what is happening as Pepper nods, her brain clearly whirring into motion, analysing exactly how to fix this. Maria just collects her daughter from where she strains in Pepper's soft embrace, Tabby's arms stretching out for her mother as she sees her rise and come closer. She cannot cross the room fast enough, snatching her daughter and pulling Tabby close. Her face immediately burrows into her shoulder, small puffs of air a comforting warmth against Maria's collar bone. She expects she is holding her too tightly, but neither seem to mind, the hard grip means they are together and to small Tabby, that means they are safe.

In her mother's arms nothing can touch her, nothing can penetrate her mother's embrace.

Maria knows that this isn't true, that she can't stop everything form hurting her poor baby, but she swears she will give her life trying.

Across the room Clint hangs up his phone with purpose. Apparently him and Natasha have worked out exactly what is going to happen to them all – to her and Tabby. She isn't even surprised that the pair have some sort of contingency plan that they can use at a moment's notice.

"Alright," he starts with a weary sigh. "Maria, I'm going to take you and Tabby to a safe house; Nat is going to meet us with Steve when they can get away. The rest of you are going stay here and try to find out what kind of threat this this, where it might come from and how to stop it."

They all nod and move, accepting that Clint is taking the role of leader in this situation, a role that Steve or Maria usually take. Maria is glad that someone is taking charge, she doesn't want to have to think of anything but keeping her daughter safe. Even the thought of Steve's safety is pushed aside as she buries her nose in Tabby's soft baby head, lost in that warm smell that reminds her they are safe for this moment. She gets so caught up in Tabby and her small, meaningless babbles she doesn't even notice when Pepper comes back with a few of their bags.

"I got some of your stuff. I just grabbed as much as I could fit in there, I didn't know what you wanted."

"Thanks." Maria replies as Pepper puts the bags down with a ridiculous amount of grace for a woman in 5 inch heels. She seems to deliberate for a moment before lunging forward to hug Maria, Tabby sandwiched between them.

"I'll see you two soon, okay?" Pepper whispers, not entirely sure if this is a comfort for her or them. It is in this moment that Maria realises that Pepper is really her only friend and she, Pepper's. Of course there are other people, but no one else who quite understands what it means to be in a relationship with a superhero. As Pepper pulls away she places a soft kiss on Tabby's head; Maria thinks she catches a tear landing silently onto Tabby. She will miss Pepper. She doesn't know where Clint is taking them, or for how long they will be gone. All she knows is that she trusts Natasha and Clint with her family's life, they will do all they can to keep them safe.

There is something desperately sad about leaving their home and family with such urgency and haste, but Maria is glad that soon she and Tabby will be safe and that eventually they will all be back together, not only with Steve but the whole of their strange family of superheroes. It is silent in the elevator as Clint takes them down to the garage where the car waits. Even Tabby has stopped mumbling 'dada', the small child recognising that now is not the time to be making a fuss. Maria is scared. Scared for her life and Steve's, but mostly for Tabby. Tabby who has only been in this world for a year and a half; Tabby who is so full of joy and love that it infects anyone around her. Tabby who hasn't yet had enough time to live, to learn, to play. As Tabby drifts off to sleep in her mother's arms, Maria vows to make sure she will get to do all those things and more.

When they reach the garage Clint makes sure the car seat is secure before helping Maria fasten the exhausted child into the armoured car. Clint gets them out of the tower parking garage and onto the route that leads them out of New York, Maria cannot help but look back at the peaceful face of her sleeping baby, so calm and serene despite the chaos of their last few hours. She leans her head against the blacked out window, watching the roads of the city blur into the monotonous long roads of the countryside. She fights sleep, needing to be awake and alert just in case. But when she yawns three times in one minutes Clint reassures her "Sleep. I've got you both," she allows unconsciousness to pull her into dreams of laughter and times much calmer and safer than they currently are.

Clint's call of her name penetrates her blurry dreams, violently rousing her from sleep. When she forces her eyes open she realises she's been out long enough for it to go dark, and a glance at the clock confirms she has been asleep for several hours. The road ahead is pitch black, only their headlights piercing the inky abyss. It makes her feel incredibly small, that the three of them in the car could be the only the only people in the whole universe. Of course she knows they are not alone; she even has friends who are actually on other planets, other dimensions. She looks over to Clint as he anxiously glances at the road behind in the mirrors. She does the same, catching sight of a headlights a couple of hundred feet away. In the back seat Tabby continues to dream, her small body rising and falling rhythmically.

"How long?"

"They've been trailing us about 30 minutes."

She sighs. She had been a fool to think it would be this easy to get away, that they could just hop in a car and run away from the danger, wait a few days then return.

"Is there anything I can do?" she questions, unable to sit here and wait for the inevitable attack. Clint knows this, that he isn't alone in protecting Tabby. She can do that too.

"There's a gun in the glove box." He keeps his eyes on the road, trying to push the car faster. "The car is bullet proof, but you never know."

It is as she leans forward to open the compartment that the car is hit from behind, Clint swears as he pushes the gas down to the floor. She has no idea how the car behind caught up so quickly but has no time to think as the truck suddenly comes into their path. It falls onto its side and skids across the road, blocking their path; Clint immediately hits the brakes but it is too late. It is very clear he cannot do anything to stop them from hitting the now stationary truck. Maria casts a final look at her daughter who now sits wide awake with a look of terror across her innocent little face. Her round eyes reflect the little light form their headlights, the blue piercing Maria's heart with their fear.

The last thing she sees is a memory of Steve holding Tabby only days earlier, laughing about something silly he had done just to draw a giggle from his daughter. She is happy for that split second, then it all goes white.


	5. Darkness

She can't see anything when she wakes up groggily, the room is completely dark and she is unable to see her own hand on front of her. Her head aches and she is very aware of her throbbing leg. She shifts to sit up, carefully pushing herself off the floor with a moan. The events of the last few hours (or is it days? She has no idea how long she has been out) flood back to her and she panics, scanning the dark for her daughter.

"Tabby?" She chokes on her words, dread rising in her throat. "Baby, it's mommy. Are you there?" A groan emerges from a distant shadow, but it is not a noise that a small girl makes and it Maria's heart sinks. "Clint? Are you okay?" She squints, trying to find him in the dark. Her question is met with another groan as Clint comes fully to.

"Maria?" He murmurs. "Is that you?"

"Yeah." She can't really bring herself say more, she is glad he is safe, but there is disappointment simmering under her skin. She wants Tabby to be here. She wants her baby girl where she can see her, where she can hold her and keep her safe. It's hard to breathe knowing that Tabby is somewhere, probably scared and confused. Could she be hurt? Is she crying?

"Maria? Where's Tabby, is she here?" She doesn't even need to answer for him to know that Tabby isn't here, that she doesn't know where her daughter is. "Hey, it's okay. We'll find her." It's unspoken that they don't know what state they will find Tabby in, but she will not rest until she does find her. Her mind goes to Steve who must be even more worried than her, if that's possible. She isn't even sure he knows they've been kidnapped; she doesn't know if he is already searching high and low for his family yet, it is guaranteed he will when he finds out.

She hears Clint shuffle along the floor towards her, his hands in front of him scanning the space for her. His hands hit her and he pulls himself next to her, slipping his arm round her, allowing Maria to rest her head against his shoulder. She dozes off into a fitful sleep, one full of vivid flashes of Tabby and Steve. She snaps awake when the door opens. Light floods the room, her hand flies to her eyes to shield them from the harsh brightness. She peels her eyes open as their guest places two plates of food and two glances of water before leaving again. The room is plunged into darkness again, but this time for only a few seconds before a single lightbulb flickers on, casting a dim light over them. Neither of them move towards the food and water, their training telling them to not consume anything an unknown gives them. They sit there for what must be hours, though there is no way of telling; they do not talk, they just sit in silence.

Eventually the lights turn off and the room is yet again pitch black. Their eyes do not adjust, the black does not become less dark. Clint's hand finds hers, anchoring her to the world and pulling her out of her thoughts and the inky shadows that threaten to consume her. Days pass like this. They become delirious with hunger and thirst until one day the person who delivers their food doesn't leave after dumping their plates on the floor.

"You are going to die." Their heads snap up and their faces wrinkle in confusion and delirium.

"I'm sorry, what?" Clint's voice is hoarse with thirst.

"If you don't eat or drink you are going to die." Maria can't quite discern his accent.

"Why do you even care?" Clint's words are harsh, or as harsh as he can be with a croaky voice. Their visitor releases a short laugh, amused by this whole situation.

"I don't care, not particularly. But I know that you will if your daughter has to watch you die." At this Maria becomes alert. How dare he talk about her daughter? How dare he keep them apart and then taunt her?

"What do you want?" She spits. "Why are you doing this?"

She looks into his eyes and sees no sympathy there. They are cold and unfeeling; he gives nothing away about what is happening. She just wants to hold her baby, she just wants to be safe at home with Steve and Tabby, laughing like they were before. Every time she closes her eyes she is affronted by images of Tabby crying, unable to quieten or feel happy ever again. She sees her tiny body broken and bent, her face twisted eternally in pain. This man may be cold, but clearly he knows something about Tabby and she needs to know something, anything about her.

Just as she is about to open her mouth to find some way of making him talk there is a loud explosion.

The ground shakes and the single lightbulb shakes, throwing shadows across the three occupants of the room. They listen to the sounds of a fight outside of the four walls they are surrounded by; their captor goes over to the door but it will not budge. They are trapped in this tiny room and Maria only hopes that it is S.H.I.E.L.D who are attacking and that Steve will find her and Tabby before it is too late. The light goes out and they are alone in the dark, listening to the shouts and gunshots outside.

Eventually the world goes quiet, the sound of their breathing the only thing penetrating the stillness. Clint's body is tense beside her and neither of them dare speak, uncharacteristically silent in the dark as they wait for someone, anyone, to come for them. Time ticks on and the three of them become weary, each slowly giving into the darkness that surrounds them.

She gets a sense of déjà vu when the crack of light hits her face, remembering the events of the last few days. Unable to open her eyes through a combination of tiredness, thirst and hunger, she feels herself be picked up and gently cradled against her rescuer's chest. She recognises his hold and the slightly smoky sweaty version of his smell. Steve. Steve has found her and she is safe, but her thoughts do not stay on her safety for long. She manages to force out a single word through her prickly throat.

"Tabby?"

"She's safe." His response is immediate; he understands that she needs to know right now. "Nat's got her. She's waiting for us on the plane." Maria has to be on that plane and she can tell that Steve does too as he manages to speed up even with her in his arms. She can see the plane nearing and a quick glance over Steve's ridiculously large shoulder shows Clint being carried rather ungracefully and unwillingly by Thor. Steve pulls out a bottle of water from somewhere and hands it to her. She may be completely desperate to quench her thirst, but she knows that she can drink too much at once. To be honest she is surprised that she is still conscious; she hasn't eaten or drunken for what must be several days as well as numerous injuries of various severities. She just knows that she has to see Tabby before she can let go, that she only has to make it for a few more minutes to hold Tabby once more.

She must have blacked out for a second because suddenly they are in the aeroplane and Tabby is only a few steps away. Her baby girl is in Natasha's arms, as soon as she spots her parents enter the cabin her tiny arms stretch out as far as she can force them, small whimpers steadily increasing as the Black Widow carries her towards them.

There is a relief that floods through her like a tsunami as she holds her child in her arms. She hardly notices Steve sitting to cradle both her and Tabby, tears streaming down both their faces. Tiny fingers brush her face, confused at her mother's tears; Maria just cries even more, unable to control her emotions. Tabby's only response is to curl further into her mother, placing a dainty hand against her breast as if to listen to her heart. It is only now that Maria can let unconsciousness take her, let the inky abyss roughly pull her in.

As sleep comes she hears Tabby's soft voice whisper for her father. Steve inhales deeply behind her and pulls both his girls in even closer; it is an unconventional time to find out that what your daughter's first words are, but they have never exactly been traditional.


	6. Together

The sharp scent of the hospital greets her first, quickly joined by the bright lights. The room is empty when she looks up, the room filled with only the rhythmic beeping of the several machines at her bedside. As she moves her arm to press the call button she feels that familiar discomfort that the IV in her arm brings, the needle in her arm not an unusual sight to the S.H.I.E.L.D agent. She presses the button once and several minutes later a nurse rushes in.

"Hello Ms Hill," she greets her patient with a friendly smile. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Maria responds. "Where's my daughter?" The nurse just responds with another smile.

"She is fine; we are looking after her." At Maria's look of worry she continues. "She had a few cuts and bruises, and I think a sprained ankle but the nurses have cleaned her up."

"Can I see her?" Her voice is still harsh form disuse; she isn't even sure how long she has been in hospital.

"Of course, I'll have a nurse bring her up." She finishes checking Maria's vitals and heads out of the small hospital room.

Maria sinks back into the slightly uncomfortable pillows, her body exhausted from fixing all of its injuries yet tense, waiting for her daughter to be united with her before she can fully relax and allow her body to relax. She closes her eyes, letting the quiet of the room flood over her. She snaps alert at a rustling in the doorway, there stands Steve, paused as if asking if he can enter. Her face must give away her relief at his presence as he is at her side instantly, a hand in her hair as he places a soft kiss on her brow. They do not speak, just breath in each other's presence with forehead touching. He sighs as he pulls a chair to her bedside, it looks tiny and uncomfortable, but by the looks of the jacket placed over the back that she missed on her earlier assessment of the room, he has been sat there for a while.

"How do you feel?" The worry lines that mar his forehead do not suit him at all and she wishes she could smooth them away, but he is gripping her hand too hard to release it.

"Sore." And she is all over, but that is not what she wants to talk about. "How's Tabby?" His face drops and that sunken sadness that she hates so much appears in his eyes. What does that mean? The nurse had said she was alright, that she was on her way up. "Steve? What's wrong? What happened to Tabby? They said she was fine!" Her voice is increasing in volume and her breathing is getting faster and out of her control. A hand comes to press against her cheek, calming her yet still panic in her eyes.

"She's okay, they've made sure she's fine." She can breathe again, but he hasn't finished speaking. "But they won't let me see her." His voice is thick with guilt. "I'm not registered as her father on her medical forms and so they couldn't let me in."

"But you're… you're Captain America." Everyone knows who he is, they trust him. He regularly visits children in hospitals but they won't let him see his own daughter? He just nods his head solemnly; he has clearly tried all of this. "You'll be able to see her now though, they are bringing her here."

His face splits into a grin and he yet again kisses her forehead before trailing his lips to her mouth. HIs kiss isn't the usual soft, gentle touch that he usually bestows upon her, it is a hard, happy kiss, full of excitement to see his daughter once more. They chat about now meaningless details of the mission that went south and she discovers that she has been out for only 2 days. He tells her that there are S.H.E.I.L.D agents surrounding the hospital plus at least one avenger on guard. The knowledge gives her comfort, but she won't be truly happy until Tabby is with her.

There is a gentle tap at the door and a nurse steps through with Tabby. Maria's eyes are immediately drawn to the cuts and bruises on her delicate skin and the tear tracks down her red face, but when she sees her large grin beneath the tears, her own eyes well up. Tabby's crying ceases as she practically leaps out of the nurses arms and into her mother's as she repeats her mantra of 'mama' and 'dada' over and over. Maria's face is buried in Tabby's hair, that baby smell comforting her as she feels Steve's arms encompass the tow of them, his own tears evident through his sniffles. The nurse is silent as she slips out of the room, leaving the little family to have a proper reunion. After the shock has worn off she hands Steve the small child as she cleans herself up. The sight of Tabby's bright eyes looking up into her father's blue ones as they sit wrapped up in the small chair makes her heart ache; they are back together again, and this time no one can pull them apart.


End file.
